


Duty

by HalRose



Series: The Shakarian Project [33]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Funerals, POV Garrus Vakarian, Post-Mass Effect 3, Shakarian - Freeform, angst to fluff real quick, ashley is jealous of garrus and femshep, ater mass effect 3, hackett dies, i was stuck on this prompt so i apologise, talk of duty, talks of promotions, was meant to be a short fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalRose/pseuds/HalRose
Summary: “I’m not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention.” - Garrus discovers why Shepard is being so distant. Their retirement plans go out the window.
Relationships: Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Series: The Shakarian Project [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876087
Kudos: 5





	Duty

**Author's Note:**

> I struggled with this prompt, so I apologise.

**Garrus**

She’d been pretty distant for a few days now, busy hiding behind her duty to protect the galaxy, even though the war has been over for years now.  
She’d been gifted the Normandy to use in diplomatic affairs, and between juggling time between our son and our duties, she seems like the Shepard I knew back during the war – never relaxing, always on edge.

And then I discovered why.

“I’m not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention.” I tell her, playfully poking her one morning,

She’d been on a call with Ashley and James all morning about something, but I didn’t listen in as I knew Athena would tell me, in time.  
It’s very rude to listen in on private conversations

No response from Athena, like I usually would get.

It’s like she can’t hear me, like everything is too much and she slowly comes back to reality, looking at me with tears in her eyes.

“Athena, what’s wrong?” I ask

I immediately pull her into a seat so she’s supported, in case she collapses during the news.  
I can see her hesitate.

“Garrus, that was Ashley and James… it seems that Admiral Hackett has passed away. And they want me to take the Admiral job.”

I’m stunned.

Athena explains how he died – that he died in the line of duty, he was supposed to be retired but somebody attacked Alliance headquarters and he died, heart attack before they could even get to him.  
Not content with just giving him a proper funeral, all they cared about was giving his job to someone else.

Which is incredibly fucked up, might I add.

“They really don’t want you to retire, either. We’ve talked about this.”

“I know we have, Garrus!” Athena almost yells in frustration “We have so many plans and yet they won’t take no for an answer. It’s like they won’t rest till I’m dead too. But what will happen when I die, who will they harass next? They don’t care about how we feel.”

“What are you going to do?” I ask her. “It’s your choice at the end of the day. I have to follow your orders.”

Athena freezes.

“Ashley has always wanted the job. James could work under her. I know that they’re doing that already, because of the event this would happen, so if I pass on my recommendation…”

“We’d all be reporting to Ashley as our superior. I know she was close to Hackett. Kaidan would have been made a Admiral years ago…”

“I don’t know about you, but Commander Shepard sounds better.” Athena laughs through her tears

I know she’s upset about Hackett. But we always talked about retiring.  
The Reaper War is over now, there is no need for more war.  
There is no need for Athena Shepard to do her big duties any more. I do not even know why there is even talk of who is gonna be the next Admiral

“I’ll follow you, no matter what you decide to do. When is the funeral?” I ask.

“I uh… Ashley doesn’t know. She and James will get back to us when it’s time. If I want to accept the Admiral offer, I have to call James and let him know. He’ll get in touch with the others.”

She leans against me.

“Having a sense of duty is the pain in the ass.”

I look at her.

“Are you only just realising this now?” I respond.

She laughs again and wipes her tears.

“You’d think that they would give you a break,” I mutter “Maybe I should talk to them.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

I take her hand.

“We’ll be alright. I promise. Things will work out.” 

I’m not too sure if I’m trying to convince Athena or myself.

Athena and I come to realise that we are still needed on duty, and I offer to take her place so she can semi-retire.  
She takes the offer and it causes uproar. It’s like the world wants more from her.

It’s a bit of a struggle at first, but we make it work. I’d do anything to make Athena happy.

And then one day, she tells me that she’s ready to come back to her duty. It’s a couple of weeks after the funeral; realising she cannot take the job of Admiral.  
She'd been so torn about it – it wasn’t that she was ever desperate for the job and she wasn’t gonna boost her own ego by saying she ‘deserved’ it, but she felt like it wasn’t right, especially with how quick they were to pass on the job, like they needed someone to take it desperately.

She didn’t feel like it was right, especially after what happened to Hackett. Maybe people really did need her around.

“You deserve to be happy.” Athena is told, by Ashley.

Both of them look at me. We’ve met up to discuss the new promotion. 

“I’m happy being Commander. With Garrus and the others on the Normandy. It’s my home.” Athena says, a proud look in her eyes.

I protest at first, but I know how determined she is. She gives her recommendation 

“We’ve never taken the chance to stop and look at the scenery, we should go on a date somewhere.” She teases “It’s hard taking in the sights when the galaxy was burning.”

She is right, though.

“I don’t care where I am.” I tell her softly “Just as long as I have you by my side.”

Everyone has a sense of duty, and sometimes that duty is to follow your heart.

“You two make me sick.” Ashley jokes.

“Hey, at least we know you’re jealous.” Athena fires back.

**Author's Note:**

> Im sorry? I didnt know what to write


End file.
